{{disclaimerbox|Please feel free to edit or add to news items below. For instructions on how to use the Newsitem template or how to add news items to the Main Page, please see [[Wikitravel:How to add travel news]]. }}

{{disclaimerbox|Please feel free to edit or add to news items below. For instructions on how to use the Newsitem template or how to add news items to the Main Page, please see [[Wikitravel:How to add travel news]]. }}

+

+

==October==

+

{{newsitem| [[Fukushima]] tsunami alert after quake | 25 Oct| Japan has issued a tsunami advisory for the Fukushima area - where the crippled nuclear plant is located - after a powerful quake in the Pacific Ocean. The Japan Meteorological Agency said a small tsunami - up to one metre (3.3ft) - could reach the eastern coast, but no damage was expected. The 7.1 magnitude quake struck at a depth of 10km (six miles), about 320km off Japan's eastern coast. The JMA issued a "yellow" advisory for Fukushima and also the prefectures of [[Iwate]], [[Miyagi]], [[Ibaraki]] and parts of [[Chiba]], saying tsunami waves could reach 0.2-1m. "Tsunamis are expected to arrive imminently," it said. But it added: "Though there may be slight sea-level change in coastal regions, no tsunami damage is expected." [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24677578] }}

+

+

{{newsitem| [[Syria]] polio outbreak 'spreads'| 25 Oct| At least 22 people - most of them babies and toddlers - are now believed to have contracted polio in Syria, the World Health Organization has reported. If confirmed, it would be the first outbreak of the disease there in 14 years. Syria's Health Ministry began an immunization drive. Before Syria's civil war began in 2011, some 95% of children were vaccinated against the disease. Now, Unicef estimates 500,000 children have not been immunised. WHO said the suspected outbreak centres on the eastern province of Deir Ezzor. Polio remains endemic in [[Afghanistan]], [[Nigeria]] and [[Pakistan]]. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24668437] }}

+

+

{{newsitem| Car bomb targets [[Syria]]n mosque | 25 Oct| At least 20 people including children have been reported killed in a car bomb blast in Syria, outside a mosque in a town in [[Damascus]] province. The blast, in the town of Suq Wadi Barada, came just before the end of Friday prayers and brought down the mosque's entrances. It was not clear who had carried out the attack. Car bombs have become a common, deadly occurrence in the long-running conflict. Earlier this week, a truck bomb in the central city of [[Hama]] killed at least 30 and wounded dozens more. Observatory figures show the 31-month conflict has killed more than 115,000 people. More than five million people are displaced inside Syria, and another two million have fled the country as refugees, according to the UNHCR. Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) issued a warning Friday that continuous heavy bombing had forced 130,000 people out of al-Safira in the north. They said aid agencies could not cope with the numbers as winter approaches. Fighting has also spread to northern [[Lebanon]]. The northern city of [[Tripoli]] has seen five days of street battles between supporters and opponents of the Syrian regime, killing five and injuring more than 40. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24676524] }}

+

+

{{newsitem| Civilians injured in [[Kashmir]] firing| 25 Oct| Eight civilians have been injured after Pakistani troops fired guns and mortar shells at border posts in Indian-administered Kashmir, officials say. Pakistan said the ceasefire violations were "a matter of great concern", but they had no information or comment about the latest incident. In recent months, [[India]] and [[Pakistan]] have accused each other of unprovoked firing along the disputed border. India says there have been nearly 200 violations of the decade-long ceasefire agreement since the beginning of this year. Officials said the militants made several attempts to enter the Keran area and that at least eight of them died in clashes over the last two weeks. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-24666123]}}

+

+

{{newsitem| Smog crisis in [[China]]| 25 Oct| Choked with smog that shut down roads, schools, and its main airport, the city of [[Harbin]] this week offered a striking reminder that China has a long way to go in addressing the hazards caused by its dependence on coal. Visibility in the northeastern city of more than 10 million people reportedly was reduced in places to less than 65 feet (20 meters) as coal-fired heating systems ramped up for the winter months. Officials also pointed to farmers burning crop stubble and low winds as additional causes for the pollution crisis. The level of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, in Harbin's air this week reportedly reached 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, exceeding the World Health Organization's daily target level by a factor of 40. [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/10/131022-harbin-ice-city-smog-crisis-china-coal/]}}

+

+

{{newsitem| [[Ellis Island]] museum to reopen on 28 Oct| 24 Oct| Ellis Island will reopen to the public Monday, almost a year after Superstorm Sandy's swells reached 8 feet and badly damaged the iconic former U.S. immigration entry point. The Oct. 29 storm swamped boilers and electrical systems, and the 27.5-acre island in New York Harbor was without power for months. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum, housed in the main building on the island, showcases the stories of the millions of immigrants who passed through the island to start their lives in the United States. More than a million documents, photographs and other artifacts at the museum were moved before the storm because it was impossible to maintain the climate-controlled environment needed for their preservation. [http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Ellis-Island-to-reopen-on-Monday-4922537.php]}}

+

+

{{newsitem| Travel Warning- [[South Sudan]]| 23 Oct| The U.S. Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to the Republic of South Sudan and strongly recommends U.S. citizens pay careful attention to existing in-country conditions when planning to visit. The Department of State strongly recommends that you avoid all travel to the states in the border region between Sudan and South Sudan (Upper Nile, Unity, and Western Bahr el Ghazal states in South Sudan; Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states in Sudan; and the Abyei Special Administrative District). Although fighting between Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has declined since spring 2012, the potential for troop build-ups along the border and renewed fighting remains. [http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_6186.html]}}

{{newsitem|[http://wikitravel.org/en/Statue_of_Liberty#New_York_Harbor The Statue of Liberty], the [[Grand Canyon]] and [[Mount Rushmore]] open| 11 Oct| [[New York (state)|New York state's]] tourism budget will fund the park and the state will pay $61,600 a day over the next several days to keep Lady Liberty open. According to the statement, a 2012 annual report from the National Park Service counted 3.7 million visitors to Liberty Island in 2011, generating nearly $200 million in economic activity and supporting more than 2,000 jobs. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer also negotiated an agreement with the federal government to reopen Grand Canyon National Park as well, also using state and local funds amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.A similar deal was struck in South Dakota in order to reopen the mountain bearing the faces of some of America's greatest statesmen. The state government is paying $152,000 in order to keep Mount Rushmore open for 10 days, from Oct. 14 through Oct. 23. [http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/11/politics/shutdown-statue-of-liberty/index.html] }}

+

+

{{newsitem|Mass evacuations in [[Eastern India]]| 11 Oct| More than 200,000 people in India are being evacuated as a massive cyclone is sweeping through the Bay of Bengal towards the east coast. Cyclone Phailin, categorized as "very severe" by weather forecasters, is expected to hit [[Orissa]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]] states on Oct 12 in the evening. The Meteorological Department has predicted the storm will bring winds up to 220 km/h (136mph). A deadly super-cyclone in 1999 killed more than 10,000 people in Orissa. But officials say this time they are better prepared. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-24487130]}}

+

+

{{newsitem|[[Utah]] cuts deal reopens its National Parks| 11 Oct| Leaders in Utah say they found a way to get around the government shutdown. Utah will reopen its five national parks by Oct 12, as well as three other nationally run locations. Utah's Governor Gary Herbert made the announcement Thursday, saying a deal had been reached with the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. "Utah agrees to pay the National Park Service (NPS) up to $1.67 million— $166,572 per day—to re-open eight national sites in Utah for up to 10 days. If the federal government shutdown ends before then, the State will receive a refund of unused monies" an official press statement explained. The deal would reopen [[Arches]], [[Bryce Canyon]], [[Canyonlands]], [[Capitol Reef]], and [[Zion]] national parks. The other three locations that will be opened are Natural Bridges and Cedar Breaks national monuments, as well as Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. [http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/11/us/utah-parks-reopen/index.html]}}

+

+

{{newsitem|Travel Warning- [[Sudan]]| 11 Oct| The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of traveling to [[Sudan]], urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to the [[Darfur]] region of Sudan, the Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states, and advises you to consider carefully the risks of travel in other areas of Sudan. While the Government of Sudan has taken some steps to limit the activities of terrorist groups, elements of these groups remain in Sudan and have threatened to attack Western interests. Terrorist actions may include suicide operations, bombings, or kidnappings. You should be aware of the risk of indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in public places, including tourist sites and locations where westerners are known to congregate, as well as commercial operations associated with U.S. or Western interests. [http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_6171.html] }}

+

+

{{newsitem|Travel Warning- [[Burundi]]| 11 Oct| The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of traveling to Burundi. This Travel Warning updates without change the Travel Warning for Burundi dated April 22, 2013. The Travel Warning reiterates existing security concerns and notes the security restrictions on travel for Embassy personnel remain in place. Because Burundi participates in peacekeeping operations in [[Somalia]], the terrorist organization al-Shabaab, based in Somalia, has threatened to conduct terror attacks in Burundi. [http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_6170.html]}}

+

+

{{newsitem|Typhoon Hits [[China]]| 7 Oct| A typhoon slammed into southeastern China with powerful winds and heavy rains that cut power, canceled flights and suspended train services. More than half a million people had been evacuated and fishing boats were called back to shore while authorities issued a red alert — the highest warning — as the typhoon approached. The provincial flood relief agency in [[Zhejiang]], which neighbors [[Fujian]], said 574,000 people had been evacuated evening and 35,800 vessels returned to shore. Fujian's government said 177,000 people had been moved to safety and nearly 30,000 fishing boats called back. The typhoon cut power in towns and counties in Zhejiang province while high-speed rail services in the region were suspended. At least 27 flights out of [[Wenzhou]] airport in Zhejiang were canceled on the 8 Oct., according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Elsewhere in Asia, a typhoon east of the northern Philippines blew away with no impact on the country.[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/07/typhoon-fitow-china_n_4055531.html] }}

+

+

{{newsitem|[[Egypt]] Hit by Three Brazen Attacks | 7 Oct| Deadly violence against the government broke out around Egypt as health officials raised to 53 the number said to have been killed the day before in clashes between supporters and opponents of the military takeover that ousted President Mohamed Morsi three months ago. Unidentified gunmen in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia killed six soldiers, in a drive-by shooting, while a car bomb at the security headquarters in the southern [[Sinai]] town of El-Tor killed two police officers and injured nearly 50 other people, state media reported. In [[Cairo]], assailants fired at least one rocket-propelled grenade through a satellite dish used to transmit Egyptian state television. Coming in the aftermath of the previous day’s clashes, the attacks were among the strongest indications yet that the new government appointed on July 3 by Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi had not yet secured full control of the streets. [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/world/middleeast/egypt-violence.html] }}

+

+

{{newsitem|[[U.S.]] Government shutdown: Attention, travelers!| 1 Oct| Congress, wrangling over spending and Obamacare, failed to renew government funds in time for the start of the new fiscal year on 31st Sept, and many travelers -- both domestic and international visitors -- will quickly start feeling the impact of the shutdown.U.S. While rail networks, essential air security and traffic control operations won't be impeded, travelers visiting the country's national parks and other government-run tourist attractions will find the gates shuttered and the doors locked. All 401 National Park Service sites, which collectively average about 715,000 visitors per day in October, will be closed, according to a park service spokeswoman. (Guests staying in campgrounds and on-site hotels will be given 48 hours to leave.) The Smithsonian's 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoo will also turn visitors away. Essential air traffic and security measures will be maintained. Passports and visas should continue to be processed. Some passport approvals could be impacted if offices are located in certain offices [http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/30/travel/shutdown-travel-national-parks/]}}

==September==

==September==

Line 307:

Line 340:

[[it:Info Viaggio]]

[[it:Info Viaggio]]

[[ja:トラベルニュース]]

[[ja:トラベルニュース]]

+

[[nl:Reisnieuws]]

[[pt:Wikitravel:Notícias de viagem]]

[[pt:Wikitravel:Notícias de viagem]]

Revision as of 19:27, 25 October 2013

This is Wikitravel's Travel news section, about issues affecting travelers, both positively and negatively. For more general news, see Wikinews.

Please feel free to edit or add to news items below. For instructions on how to use the Newsitem template or how to add news items to the Main Page, please see Wikitravel:How to add travel news.

October

Japan has issued a tsunami advisory for the Fukushima area - where the crippled nuclear plant is located - after a powerful quake in the Pacific Ocean. The Japan Meteorological Agency said a small tsunami - up to one metre (3.3ft) - could reach the eastern coast, but no damage was expected. The 7.1 magnitude quake struck at a depth of 10km (six miles), about 320km off Japan's eastern coast. The JMA issued a "yellow" advisory for Fukushima and also the prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, Ibaraki and parts of Chiba, saying tsunami waves could reach 0.2-1m. "Tsunamis are expected to arrive imminently," it said. But it added: "Though there may be slight sea-level change in coastal regions, no tsunami damage is expected." [1]

At least 22 people - most of them babies and toddlers - are now believed to have contracted polio in Syria, the World Health Organization has reported. If confirmed, it would be the first outbreak of the disease there in 14 years. Syria's Health Ministry began an immunization drive. Before Syria's civil war began in 2011, some 95% of children were vaccinated against the disease. Now, Unicef estimates 500,000 children have not been immunised. WHO said the suspected outbreak centres on the eastern province of Deir Ezzor. Polio remains endemic in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. [2]

At least 20 people including children have been reported killed in a car bomb blast in Syria, outside a mosque in a town in Damascus province. The blast, in the town of Suq Wadi Barada, came just before the end of Friday prayers and brought down the mosque's entrances. It was not clear who had carried out the attack. Car bombs have become a common, deadly occurrence in the long-running conflict. Earlier this week, a truck bomb in the central city of Hama killed at least 30 and wounded dozens more. Observatory figures show the 31-month conflict has killed more than 115,000 people. More than five million people are displaced inside Syria, and another two million have fled the country as refugees, according to the UNHCR. Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) issued a warning Friday that continuous heavy bombing had forced 130,000 people out of al-Safira in the north. They said aid agencies could not cope with the numbers as winter approaches. Fighting has also spread to northern Lebanon. The northern city of Tripoli has seen five days of street battles between supporters and opponents of the Syrian regime, killing five and injuring more than 40. [3]

Eight civilians have been injured after Pakistani troops fired guns and mortar shells at border posts in Indian-administered Kashmir, officials say. Pakistan said the ceasefire violations were "a matter of great concern", but they had no information or comment about the latest incident. In recent months, India and Pakistan have accused each other of unprovoked firing along the disputed border. India says there have been nearly 200 violations of the decade-long ceasefire agreement since the beginning of this year. Officials said the militants made several attempts to enter the Keran area and that at least eight of them died in clashes over the last two weeks. [4]

Choked with smog that shut down roads, schools, and its main airport, the city of Harbin this week offered a striking reminder that China has a long way to go in addressing the hazards caused by its dependence on coal. Visibility in the northeastern city of more than 10 million people reportedly was reduced in places to less than 65 feet (20 meters) as coal-fired heating systems ramped up for the winter months. Officials also pointed to farmers burning crop stubble and low winds as additional causes for the pollution crisis. The level of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, in Harbin's air this week reportedly reached 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, exceeding the World Health Organization's daily target level by a factor of 40. [5]

Ellis Island will reopen to the public Monday, almost a year after Superstorm Sandy's swells reached 8 feet and badly damaged the iconic former U.S. immigration entry point. The Oct. 29 storm swamped boilers and electrical systems, and the 27.5-acre island in New York Harbor was without power for months. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum, housed in the main building on the island, showcases the stories of the millions of immigrants who passed through the island to start their lives in the United States. More than a million documents, photographs and other artifacts at the museum were moved before the storm because it was impossible to maintain the climate-controlled environment needed for their preservation. [6]

The U.S. Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to the Republic of South Sudan and strongly recommends U.S. citizens pay careful attention to existing in-country conditions when planning to visit. The Department of State strongly recommends that you avoid all travel to the states in the border region between Sudan and South Sudan (Upper Nile, Unity, and Western Bahr el Ghazal states in South Sudan; Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states in Sudan; and the Abyei Special Administrative District). Although fighting between Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has declined since spring 2012, the potential for troop build-ups along the border and renewed fighting remains. [7]

New York state's tourism budget will fund the park and the state will pay $61,600 a day over the next several days to keep Lady Liberty open. According to the statement, a 2012 annual report from the National Park Service counted 3.7 million visitors to Liberty Island in 2011, generating nearly $200 million in economic activity and supporting more than 2,000 jobs. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer also negotiated an agreement with the federal government to reopen Grand Canyon National Park as well, also using state and local funds amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.A similar deal was struck in South Dakota in order to reopen the mountain bearing the faces of some of America's greatest statesmen. The state government is paying $152,000 in order to keep Mount Rushmore open for 10 days, from Oct. 14 through Oct. 23. [9]

More than 200,000 people in India are being evacuated as a massive cyclone is sweeping through the Bay of Bengal towards the east coast. Cyclone Phailin, categorized as "very severe" by weather forecasters, is expected to hit Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states on Oct 12 in the evening. The Meteorological Department has predicted the storm will bring winds up to 220 km/h (136mph). A deadly super-cyclone in 1999 killed more than 10,000 people in Orissa. But officials say this time they are better prepared. [10]

Leaders in Utah say they found a way to get around the government shutdown. Utah will reopen its five national parks by Oct 12, as well as three other nationally run locations. Utah's Governor Gary Herbert made the announcement Thursday, saying a deal had been reached with the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. "Utah agrees to pay the National Park Service (NPS) up to $1.67 million— $166,572 per day—to re-open eight national sites in Utah for up to 10 days. If the federal government shutdown ends before then, the State will receive a refund of unused monies" an official press statement explained. The deal would reopen Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion national parks. The other three locations that will be opened are Natural Bridges and Cedar Breaks national monuments, as well as Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. [11]

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of traveling to Sudan, urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to the Darfur region of Sudan, the Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states, and advises you to consider carefully the risks of travel in other areas of Sudan. While the Government of Sudan has taken some steps to limit the activities of terrorist groups, elements of these groups remain in Sudan and have threatened to attack Western interests. Terrorist actions may include suicide operations, bombings, or kidnappings. You should be aware of the risk of indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in public places, including tourist sites and locations where westerners are known to congregate, as well as commercial operations associated with U.S. or Western interests. [12]

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of traveling to Burundi. This Travel Warning updates without change the Travel Warning for Burundi dated April 22, 2013. The Travel Warning reiterates existing security concerns and notes the security restrictions on travel for Embassy personnel remain in place. Because Burundi participates in peacekeeping operations in Somalia, the terrorist organization al-Shabaab, based in Somalia, has threatened to conduct terror attacks in Burundi. [13]

A typhoon slammed into southeastern China with powerful winds and heavy rains that cut power, canceled flights and suspended train services. More than half a million people had been evacuated and fishing boats were called back to shore while authorities issued a red alert — the highest warning — as the typhoon approached. The provincial flood relief agency in Zhejiang, which neighbors Fujian, said 574,000 people had been evacuated evening and 35,800 vessels returned to shore. Fujian's government said 177,000 people had been moved to safety and nearly 30,000 fishing boats called back. The typhoon cut power in towns and counties in Zhejiang province while high-speed rail services in the region were suspended. At least 27 flights out of Wenzhou airport in Zhejiang were canceled on the 8 Oct., according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Elsewhere in Asia, a typhoon east of the northern Philippines blew away with no impact on the country.[14]

Deadly violence against the government broke out around Egypt as health officials raised to 53 the number said to have been killed the day before in clashes between supporters and opponents of the military takeover that ousted President Mohamed Morsi three months ago. Unidentified gunmen in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia killed six soldiers, in a drive-by shooting, while a car bomb at the security headquarters in the southern Sinai town of El-Tor killed two police officers and injured nearly 50 other people, state media reported. In Cairo, assailants fired at least one rocket-propelled grenade through a satellite dish used to transmit Egyptian state television. Coming in the aftermath of the previous day’s clashes, the attacks were among the strongest indications yet that the new government appointed on July 3 by Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi had not yet secured full control of the streets. [15]

Congress, wrangling over spending and Obamacare, failed to renew government funds in time for the start of the new fiscal year on 31st Sept, and many travelers -- both domestic and international visitors -- will quickly start feeling the impact of the shutdown.U.S. While rail networks, essential air security and traffic control operations won't be impeded, travelers visiting the country's national parks and other government-run tourist attractions will find the gates shuttered and the doors locked. All 401 National Park Service sites, which collectively average about 715,000 visitors per day in October, will be closed, according to a park service spokeswoman. (Guests staying in campgrounds and on-site hotels will be given 48 hours to leave.) The Smithsonian's 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoo will also turn visitors away. Essential air traffic and security measures will be maintained. Passports and visas should continue to be processed. Some passport approvals could be impacted if offices are located in certain offices [16]

September

In light of the recent attack on a Nairobi shopping mall, the U.S. Department of State has reissued its Travel Warning of July 5, 2013, which warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Kenya. U.S. citizens in Kenya, and those considering travel to Kenya, should evaluate their personal security situation in light of continuing and recently heightened threats from terrorism and the high rate of violent crime in some areas. The levels of risk vary throughout the country. [17]

A Pakistan earthquake has killed dozens of people. The quake was reported as a 7.7 magnitude by the U.S. Geological Survey. The death toll is continuously increasing and at least 46 have died in Awaran in Balochistan province. There is a possibility that many more are trapped in the rubble. A rescue emergency was declared by the province and doctors are on standby at hospitals while officials are on high alert. More than 200 troops have been sent to the area to help out, including rescue and medical teams. The earthquake hit in a remote area at a depth of about nine miles. It struck 43 miles northeast of Awaran and 72 miles northwest of Bela according to the U.S. Geological Survey. According to local police official Mozzam Jah, the quake was so strong that it caused a 30 fot 40 foot high mass to emerge from the ocean like a small mountain island off the coast of Gwadar. Many have gathered to view the new island. Pakistan has had a lot of seismic activity in recent years. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed at least 35 people in Pakistan last April and in January 2011, a 7.2 magnitude quake damaged 200 mud homes in Baluchistan. [18]

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has declared the end of a bloody four-day siege by Islamist militants at Nairobi's Westgate shopping center. Five attackers were shot dead by troops and 11 suspects were in custody, he said in a TV address to the nation. Kenya has "shamed and defeated our attackers" but the "losses are immense", he said, confirming that 61 civilians and six soldiers had died. Three days of national mourning have been declared, starting on 25 Sept. Some 175 people were injured in the attack; 62 people remain in hospital and many others are being treated for shock and are undergoing counseling. Somali Islamist group al-Shabab said it had carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan army operations in Somalia. [19]

Several people have been killed and wounded in an explosion in the Syrian capital, Damascus, Syrian state TV reports. The state new agency Sana said a "terrorist bombing" attack had taken place in the Tadamon district in the south of the capital. Tadamon has been a battleground between rebel forces and the army for months. The UK-based activist group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, says a car bomb killed at least seven people and wounded 15, some of them critically. More than 100,000 people have died in the conflict, according to the UN, and millions have fled the country or been made homeless. [20]

Thousands of apparel workers clashed with police in Bangladesh, demanding higher pay on 23 Sept, police and officials said. The workers are demanding a minimum monthly pay of $104 revising the present $38 a month. Police said violence mostly erupted in Gazipur and Savar, on the outskirts of capital Dhaka, where there are hundreds of apparel factories producing clothes for leading global brands from Europe and America. The workers fought pitched battles with police and set fire to vehicles and part of some apparel factories in Gazipur, forcing the owners to shut down all factories in Gazipur district and its adjoining areas. Several thousand workers also took to the streets in capital Dhaka, but they were dispersed by police and did not appear to commit any violence. [21]

Heavy monsoon rains have left at least 19 people dead, most of them children, in the northern Philippines, state media reported. Four other people are still reported to be missing, and many towns are flooded. Most of the people were killed by landslides set off by the rain in the province of Zambales on Luzon, the largest island in the archipelagic nation, the government-run Philippines News Agency (PNA) said, citing the regional disaster management council. [22]

Protesters have leapt into Venice's Giudecca canal to delay a procession of cruise ships, which they say are threatening the city's foundations as they tower over rooftops and drown the city in tourism. Around 50 protesters dressed in wetsuits, backed by 1000 supporters, managed to hold up the cruise ships by more than an hour as they paddled in the canal - some using buoyancy rings. The protest was timed to coincide with a busy day on the canal, as a scheduling quirk meant 12 cruise ships were due to head past St Mark's Square - well above the daily average of two ships. "The demonstration was a great success and we now hope the government will take advantage of this momentum and kick the cruise ships out of the Venice lagoon," said Silvio Testa, a spokesman for the protesters. [23]

Mexican authorities say they have partially reopened the main motorway link between the seaside resort of Acapulco and the capital, Mexico City. The road had been closed since the start of the week, when Tropical Storm Manuel caused floods and mudslides. At least 600 buses are going to transport out the 20,000-plus tourists who are still stranded, officials say. Meanwhile, rescue operations continue as nearly 70 people are missing in one village on the Pacific coast. About 100 people were killed by storms that hit the country earlier in the week. [24]

Twin storms left scenes of havoc on both of Mexico's coasts, with tens of thousands of tourists stranded in the resort city of Acapulco on the Pacific and heavy damage reported along the Gulf coast.The death toll from the combined punch of Hurricane Ingrid and Tropical Storm Manuel rose to 38. As many as 60,000 tourists, many of whom traveled from Mexico City for a long holiday weekend, found themselves stranded in Acapulco, with the airport flooded and highways blocked by landslides and water caused by Manuel. While many hotels were operating normally, many of the outlying neighborhoods of the city were without water or power service. Federal officials said that could take until 18 Sept, and Acapulco's mayor said two of Mexico's largest airlines, Aeromexico and Interjet, would soon be running one flight each every hour from a military air base just outside the city. [25]

A stand-off between Philippine troops and Muslim rebels has continued for a second day, with reports of civilians being used as "human shields". At least four people were killed in Zamboanga city in Mindanao, in the south of the country. Gunshots were heard in Zamboanga early on Tuesday, reports said, and residents had fled areas hit by fighting. All classes have been suspended and flights to and from Zamboanga have been cancelled, the city government said. Additional troops have also arrived in Zamboanga to support the hundreds already deployed in the unrest. [26]

At least 38 people have been killed in clashes which erupted between Hindus and Muslims in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police say. A curfew has been extended for a third day in riot-hit areas of Muzaffarnagar district. Hundreds of people have been arrested. Officials say security is improving. Thousands of people fled their homes in the violence which was sparked by the killing of three men who had objected to the harassment of a young woman. [27]

Days of relentless rain have hammered eastern Mexico, and now authorities say at least eight people are dead after mud and sand slid off the side of a hill. Officials say two people were rescued alive from the buried houses in Veracruz state. The two homes were hit on 9 Sept in the town of Manzanatitla, which is in a mountainous area about 200 miles east of Mexico City. Heavy rains have been falling across southeastern and central Mexico in recent days. [28]

Bermuda is making plans for a brush with Tropical Storm Gabrielle. The British territory suspended ferry service as wind and rain started to pick up, and several flights were cancelled as the storm approached. [29]

It's been an uncomfortable start to the week for millions of residents in the Midwest with near-record high temperatures across the region. However, the good news is that this heat will retreat rather quickly since cold fronts are becoming more frequent as we head towards fall. [30]

Fire officials say crews made considerable progress overnight against a wildfire in a San Francisco Bay Area wilderness park, more than doubling containment and reducing the number of threatened homes. State fire spokesman says 75 homes are now threatened, down from 100 homes. He says the fire isn't showing much active behavior. [31]

August

Venice's famous gondoliers are to be banned from the city’s Grand Canal following the death of a tourist in a waterway collision. Fifty-year old tourist from Germany died earlier this month when the vessel he was traveling on collided with a vaporetto water taxi. Now the lagoon city is drawing up proposals to introduce a floating congestion zone, which would prevent the traditional boats from operating during rush hours. Until now Venice has operated as something of a free for all with cruise ships speed boats and water taxis joining small craft jostling for space on the major canals. But following the accident on the 17th August authorities have set out proposals to bring Venice closer in line to cities based on dry land. The city’s mayor Giorgio Orsoni said: 'We have to think of the Grand Canal as a street, a main street like that of all cities, with particularly heavy traffic. We need some discipline. [32]

Four wildfires were burning in Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday 21 Aug, the 25th anniversary of a devastating day in 1988 when massive wildfires in the park suddenly grew by tens of thousands of acres. The fires now burning in Yellowstone, all of them in Wyoming's corner of the park, are minimal compared with those of 1988, which ended up affecting almost 800,000 acres - or 36 percent - of park territory. The largest wildfire Tuesday was the 4,500-acre Alum Fire, burning near the center of the park near Mud Volcano. The Alum Fire forced a temporary road closure from Canyon Village south to Fishing Bridge, but all other roads leading into and through the park, along with all campgrounds and services, were open, the park said. There were no imminent evacuations for any part of the park.

For countries in Northeast Asia, this summer is becoming too hot to bear.A Japanese city has experienced the highest temperature ever recorded in the country. The South Korean government is clamping down on the use of air-conditioning in an attempt to stave off power shortages. And Shanghai has been sweltering under a record-setting run of baking hot days. The searing temperatures have brought a spike in heat-related deaths, as well as harming crops and livestock. In Japan, of the 52 deaths from heatstroke nationwide between late May and early August, nearly one third of them occurred last week, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. The agency issued a heat alert covering 37 of Japan's 47 prefectures on 12 Aug, warning that the high temperatures are expected to continue for about a week in western, central and southern parts of the country. [33]

Seaside cigarettes will be prohibited from January 1, 2014, while lighting up in parks, swimming pools and bus stops will also be outlawed. The ban will be preceded by a campaign to increase awareness among locals and tourists about the new rules. It will be enforced by beach lifeguards, with offenders facing a fine of $100. A statement from the Hawaii Tourist Board said the move would allow holidaymakers to “truly enjoy and relax in a healthy and beautiful smoke-free environment”. It is hoped the ban will prevent non-smokers from breathing second-hand fumes, as well as lessen the number of cigarette butts left on the shore. [34]

Egyptian police have fired tear gas to disperse crowds of supporters of detained ex-leader Mohammed Morsi during a march in central Cairo. Morsi supporters went to a government compound to protest at the appointment of army officers as local governors. Local residents then clashed with the pro-Morsi crowds and both sides threw bottles and stones at each other, before security forces moved in. The army deposed Mr Morsi in July and put in place an interim government. Supporters of Mr Morsi, an Islamist leader who came from the Muslim Brotherhood movement, refuse to accept the new government and insist he must be reinstated. [35]

About 1,500 people have been forced to flee their homes in southern California as a wildfire rages out of control, fire officials have said. Two firefighters and a civilian have been injured near Banning since the fire started on 7 Aug 2013. The rapidly spreading blaze covered about 10,000 acres (4,047 ha). [36]

A fire that shut down and extensively damaged Nairobi's Kenyatta International Airport -- a major travel hub in Africa that is crucial to Kenya's export industry- appeared to have restarted on 8 Aug 2013. Large parts of the international terminal were destroyed by the massive blaze that broke out before dawn on 7 Aug 2013. No casualties were reported. Authorities later said the fire was contained. [37]

'Very Active' Hurricane Season Possible

'Very Active' Hurricane Season Possible

8 Aug

With the historical peak of the hurricane season right around the corner, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released its updated forecast for the 2013 hurricane season. NOAA still expects an above average number of named storms this season and says the season has the potential to be "very active". NOAA is forecasting a 70 percent chance of 13 to 19 named storms, 6 to 9 of which would become hurricanes and 3 to 5 major hurricanes. [38]

Scorching winds from Saharan Africa with temperatures of 43C are forecast to sweep across the country from today and are expected to last for a week. The worst affected areas will be Andalucia and Murciain in southern Spain, but even the normally cooler areas of the north will have temperatures of at least 38 C in the shade. [39]

After spreading torrential rain and causing scattered power outages across the island chain, the storm is no longer a tropical depression. It is now classified as a remnant area of low pressure. Earlier, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Maui, and flash flood watches covered the rest of the state. [40]

Bathers have been warned to take extra care after the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) reported sightings of “huge numbers” of several species in UK seas, including the Lion’s Mane, which has a powerful sting.The MCS described parts of the sea as a “jellyfish soup” and advised swimmers to “look but not touch”. More blooms are expected as the sea continues to warm up. The beaches most affected are in Devon, Cornwall and the North West coast. The Lion’s Mane has been found in large numbers between north Wales and Blackpool. It is one of the largest jellyfish in the world, reaching several feet wide, with a distinctive tangle of trailing orange tentacles. [41]

July

Black waves of crude oil washed up on a beach at a popular tourist island in Thailand's eastern sea despite attempts to clean up the oil up over the weekend after it leaked from a pipeline. Tourists on Ko Samet island were warned to stay away from the once-serene beach, marred by inky globs as hundreds of workers in white jumpsuits labored to scrape the sand clean and remove oil from the water. About 50 tons of oil spilled into the sea off Rayong province. The leak was the fourth major oil spill in the country's history, Energy Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal said. Authorities closed the bay as 300 workers attempted to remove the oil from the white beach and the water. [42]

A coach has plunged off a flyover in southern Italy leaving at least 38 people dead in the country's worst road accident for decades. The coach hit several vehicles before smashing through a barrier and toppling down a steep slope near the town of Avellino, in the Campania region. At least 10 people were injured, some of them seriously. The coach was taking about 50 people, including children, back to Naples following a pilgrimage. The cause of the accident is not yet known. Some reports say the vehicle was traveling at speed. [43]

A wave of car bombs has killed at least 51 people in mostly Shia areas of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and in other cities around the country. More than 200 people were wounded in the attacks, officials said. More than 2,500 Iraqis have died in attacks since April, the UN says - with violence at its highest since 2008. The spike comes amid heightened Shia-Sunni tensions. Sunnis say they are being marginalized by Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's Shia-led government. The Baghdad bombs, hidden in parked cars, hit markets and car parks in several areas of the city, police say. The deadliest was said to have hit the eastern Shia district of Sadr City, report say. [44]

Health authorities have closed three campgrounds in a forest near Los Angeles after the discovery of a squirrel infected with the plague. Officials said they would dust the forest's squirrel burrows for fleas. They warned people to avoid visiting areas near the campgrounds, which are likely to remain closed for at least a week, and to not feed wild animals. They also said people should protect pets from fleas and use insect repellant.[45]

No one's going anywhere, say protesters camped outside mosque in east Cairo after at least 65 killed in nearby street. Supporters of the overthrown Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi have pledged to maintain their weeks-old sit-in in east Cairo, despite the massacre of scores of their comrades by state officials. At least 65 pro-Morsi protesters were shot dead during an eight-hour attack by police officers and armed men dressed in civilian clothes. Tens of thousands of Morsi supporters have camped outside the mosque since late June when the president's overthrow began to seem likely. [46]

A 24-hour general strike protesting further austerity measures brought many public services in Greece to a grinding halt. Public transit systems, flights and garbage collection services are affected by the nationwide action- the fourth general strike this year- while hospitals are running on skeleton staffing. Labor unions held a rally in central Athens, followed by a march to the national parliament building.About 16,000 to 17,000 people took part in the demonstration, which was peaceful and resulted in no arrests, Athens police spokesman Panagiotis Papapetropoulos said. [47]

The unrest and changes in power follow President Mohamed Morsy's removal from power in a military coup 3 Jul 2013. Health Ministry official Khaled Al-Khatib was quoted by EgyNews, the nation's state news agency, as saying that 261 additional people were injured in violence in the capital. Meanwhile, 401 Morsy supporters were arrested overnight in Ramses Square, according to state-run Nile TV. Cairo has seen repeated protests since Morsy was deposed. The official website of Morsy's Muslim Brotherhood party said four people were killed and more than 300 injured in the clashes in Ramses Square and near a downtown Cairo mosque, and that police opened fire on Morsy supporters while they were taking part in Ramadan prayers at Al-Fath mosque. The continuing violence comes as Egypt's interim government starts to take shape, its members chosen by the country's military leaders. [48]

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Niger. U.S. citizens in Niger, and those considering travel to Niger, should evaluate their personal security situation in light of continuing threats to safety and security. The Government of Niger continues to erect security checkpoints in Niamey to address the security concerns in the country. The Embassy recommends that citizens traveling in Niger remain especially careful around security checkpoints, as security forces continue to be on a heightened state of alert. Do not drive away from, or through, a checkpoint until you are given clear permission to do so. If you are unsure of what to do, please request verbal confirmation before proceeding.On June 1, prisoners in Niamey's main prison staged a prison break. Of the 32 prisoners who successfully escaped, several are suspected to have ties to terrorist organizations. The majority of the escapees remain at large. [49]

Saudi Arabia is asking pilgrims to cover their mouths with a mask while in crowded places -- or risk spreading a deadly disease. In four months, the holy city of Mecca opens its doors to millions of Muslim pilgrims for the annual Hajj, with multitudes congregating at the same holy places at the same time. Others visit during the holy month of Ramadan. It's a perfect scenario for catching and spreading the relatively new Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which has befallen Saudi Arabia almost exclusively, state-run SPA news agency reports. [50]

Rebels and army forces are engaged in heavy fighting near the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The fighting comes as its new 3,000-strong intervention brigade to neutralize and disarm the rebels is approaching full strength. Last year the rebels pulled out of Goma after briefly seizing the city. Peace talks between the two sides in Uganda have since stalled. Meanwhile, aid agencies say more than 70,000 Congolese refugees have now fled into Uganda following separate clashes in eastern DR Congo near the border. [51]

At least four blast bombs and several petrol bombs have been thrown at police during rioting in east Belfast. Police is asking the public to avoid the Broadway and Glenmachan Street areas of south Belfast as a crowd of about 50 people are throwing stones and other missiles at police. [52]

Air quality in Las Vegas was downgraded to unhealthful as smoke from the large and growing Carpenter 1 wildfire cast a shroud over the Strip. An air quality alert means that at-risk individuals such as children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments, as well as healthy people could develop lung problems if they remain outside for lengthy periods of time. If you’re Vegas-bound for the weekend, here’s the good news: The department expects conditions to improve by 12 July (Friday). [53]

About 50,000 people are still without power a day after a heavy rainstorm in Toronto flooded parts of Canada's largest city. More than 90mm (3.5in) of water - over a month's average - was dumped on the city late on Monday, officials say. The rain flooded some major roads and subway stations, causing traffic chaos. Hundreds of passengers were stranded for several hours on a flooded commuter train and had to be evacuated on police boats. The commuters had to be rescued by police and firefighters in small inflatable boats. Emergency officials said five or six people were treated at the scene for minor injuries. [55]

Egypt's defence minister has warned against any attempt to disrupt the country's "difficult" transition. His statement comes almost a week after the army deposed Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and appointed top judge Adly Mansour as interim leader. Supporters of Mr Morsi have been holding demonstrations against his ousting. Egypt has been in turmoil since Mr Morsi was overthrown last week, with protesters both for and against the ousted president massing on the streets.So far at least 51 people - mostly pro-Morsi supporters from his Muslim Brotherhood movement - were killed outside the barracks where he is thought to be held. [56]

The National Park Service announced it will reopen the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island starting 4 July. This will be the first time visitors will have access to the island since Hurricane Sandy devastated the area last October. The Statue of Liberty, presented to the American people by its designer, Frederic Auguste Bartholdi on 4 July 1884, is the United States’ iconic symbol of freedom and welcomes immigrants arriving from abroad. It has been restored three times since it opened, namely in 1938, 1986, and most recently in 2012. On the 4th of July visitors will be able to access the statue’s crown, pedestal, observation deck, museum, and grounds. The statue’s torch is not open to the public, a policy that has been in place since 1916 due to safety reasons. [57]

Croatia has become the 28th member of the European Union, with crowds joining celebrations in the capital Zagreb. Celebrations took place in the central square of Zagreb, with fireworks and music including Beethoven's Ode to Joy, the European anthem. "Welcome to the European Union!" European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in Croatian to the cheering crowd. President Josipovic said it was "a great and joyful day for our homeland". [58]

June

As part of his plans to turn North Korea into a "world class" tourist destination, Kim Jong-un has ordered the transformation of the industrial port of Wonsan into a beach resort town. In May, Kim paid a visit to the Masik Pass Skiing Ground to provide "on-the-spot guidance" to "soldier-builders" constructing North Korea's first ski resort. The facility will have 68 miles of ski runs and Kim ordered that work be stepped up so it can be used this winter. Apparently not satisfied with that feat, Kim now wants his army to turn nearby Wonsan into a summer destination for tourists, South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper has reported. A document titled "General blueprint for the Wonsan District," calls for factories and dockyards that presently line the waterfront to be replaced with a series of new districts. Songdowon Beach will be remodelled into a stretch of sand with all the trappings of a resort. [59]

19 new sites have been added to UNESCO's World Heritage list - the top honor for monuments, buildings, sites or natural features "of outstanding universal value". Here's the full list of 19 sites granted UNESCO World Heritage status by the committee:

The UNESCO World Heritage List features 981 sites from 160 countries that are party to the World Heritage Convention. Of these, 759 are cultural, 193 natural and 29 mixed properties. [60]

National Parks Raise Guard Against Virus

National Parks Raise Guard Against Virus

21 June

Near the peak of the summertime tourist season, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are fighting an outbreak of norovirus, the highly contagious gastrointestinal scourge of cruise ships. Park officials said that the virus had so far sickened 150 employees and 50 guests. Employees at the parks’ lodges and restaurants have been scrubbing rooms and sanitizing every surface to try to stop the spread of the virus. Sick employees, and some who might have been exposed, have been quarantined. So far, park officials said that only a small percentage of visitors had fallen ill. Yellowstone draws more than three million visitors every year, and about 2.5 million people visit Grand Teton.Officials at Yellowstone said the outbreak of norovirus began 7 June, when several people on a tour bus complained about feeling ill. [61]

Singapore is covered with haze and some are calling it the worst ever as air pollution fills the sky, forcing people to stay indoors. Forest fires in nearby Indonesia have made matters worse and several public areas have been forced to close. According to the Pollutant Standards Index, Singapore's air pollution measurement, the level reached an unprecedented 371 and reached a "hazardous" classification that can make breathing difficulties even worse. The level has never been so high and the previous record was only at 226 back in 1997. The air pollution levels seem to be caused by raging fires in nearby Indonesia. The fumes have hit both Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore is asking Jakarta to do more to put an end to the fires on Sumatra Island, which farmers started to clear their land cheaply. "This is now the worst haze that Singapore has ever faced," Singapore's Environment Minister Vivian Balakrishnan wrote on Facebook. "No country or corporation has the right to pollute the air at the expense of Singaporeans' health and wellbeing." [62]

A silent, standing protest by performance artist Erdem Gunduz has been taken up by hundreds of anti-government demonstrators and spread to several Turkish cities. Protests planning goes on now via social media websites and meetings. A total of 883 people have been detained under protest-related charges since May 31, said Emre Cokgezen, a member of the Istanbul Bar Association's crisis desk, which was created to handle detention issues related to the protests.Though most of those have been released, 71 remained in custody facing terrorism charges, 20 facing organized crime charges and 28 facing other charges, he said. [63]

Brazil's government says it will deploy a national security force to five major cities after a wave of protests which has seen almost a quarter of a million people demand better public services. The national force will be sent to Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Fortaleza and the capital, Brasilia. All of the cities are hosting games in Fifa's Confederations Cup. The announcement comes after riot police and protesters clashed in fresh protests on 18 June in Sao Paulo. Brazil's ministry of justice said that Recife was the only Confederations Cup host city not to request the support of the National Public Security Force (FNSP). Shops and banks in Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo, were vandalised by groups of masked activists, who fought other demonstrators trying to stop the violence. [64]

Military helicopters and the army are leading rescue operations in India's flood-hit northern states, where 138 people are now known to have died. About 10,000 people have been rescued in worst-hit Uttarakhand state over three days. Flood-related deaths have also been reported in Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh states and neighboring Nepal. The monsoon season generally lasts from June to September, bringing rain which is critical to the farming output of both countries, but this year the rain in the north of India and parts of Nepal has been heavier than usual. [65]

High levels of a toxic radioactive isotope have been found in groundwater at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant, its operator says. Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) said tests showed Strontium-90 was present at 30 times the legal rate. The radioactive isotope tritium has also been detected at elevated levels. The plant, crippled by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, has recently seen a series of water leaks and power failures. [66]

The low-cost airline Fastjet has been given clearance to begin international flights from Tanzania to South Africa, Zambia and Rwanda. The company, launched last year with the backing of EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, was given approval to open the new routes last week. Flights from Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg will start from $100 (£63.68) one-way excluding taxes and charges. [67]

One of the world's most visited cities but also famous for its rudeness, Paris has embarked on a campaign to improve its reputation and better cater to the needs of tourists. Waiters, taxi drivers and sales staff in the French capital all too often come off as impolite, unhelpful and unable to speak foreign languages say local tourism chiefs, who are handing out a manual with guidelines on better etiquette. A six-page booklet entitled "Do you speak Touriste?" contains greetings in eight languages including German, Chinese and Portuguese and advice on the spending habits and cultural codes of different nationalities. France is the world's top destination for foreign tourists, with Paris visited by 29 million people last year. Some 30,000 copies of the handbook on friendly service is being distributed to taxi drivers, waiters, hotel managers and sales people in tourist areas from the banks of the Seine river up to Montmartre and in nearby Versailles and Fontainebleau. [68]

A vacant building being demolished collapsed onto a thrift store in Philadelphia, trapping more than a dozen people under the rubble, some for hours, city officials said. Mayor Michael Nutter later said officials don't know for certain if anyone else was trapped. Twelve people rescued earlier were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries. Philadelphia Police described the collapse as an "industrial accident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been told it was an accident at a demolition site, and it has investigators on the way. [69]

Surging rivers in the Czech Republic, Germany and Slovakia caused widespread flooding in the region. Heavy rains had swelled the Elbe, Danube and Vltava rivers, along with smaller rivers and tributaries. The flooding prompted the evacuation of about 25,000 people in Germany and about 20,000 in the Czech Republic, where about half of the country's regions were under a state of emergency, officials said. Eight people have died as a result of the floods in the Czech Republic, fire service spokeswoman Nicole Zaoralova said. [70]

A warning has been issued by the U.S. Embassy about the increasing number of incidents that have occurred in the area surrounding the pyramids, as vendors try to cope with difficult economic times. Some of the vendors are approaching criminal conduct, according to the embassy. The ancient pyramid complex is located approximately an hour outside of Cairo. Visitors are experiencing Egyptians vendors who surround tourist vehicles and pound on them, in what the embassy calls an effort to pressure visitors to ride in their horse-drawn carriages. Some more extreme situations have involved angry vendors trying to force the vehicle doors open, which frightens visitors. The minister of antiquities for Egypt, Ahmed Eissa, insists that the Giza pyramid complex is still safe for visitors, saying that his office hasn't received any complaints, and neither have the tourism police, according to Egyptian newspaper reports. [71]

Thousands of people have fled their homes across central Europe as deadly flood waters continue to rise. Emergency operations are under way in Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic to cope with river levels which have reached record heights in some places. Landslides and flooding have led to the deaths of at least seven people. More than eight others are missing. The German army has been drafted in to help reinforce flood defences in the south and east of the country. In the Czech Republic, a nationwide state of emergency is in force. Around 3,000 people have been forced to leave their homes across the west of the country. The authorities in the capital, Prague, are on high alert amid fears that the River Vltava could swamp its historic center. As a precaution the city's metro system has been closed, metal flood defences are being erected and sandbags built up along the banks of the Vltava. No major evacuations are planned in Prague, but tigers at the city's zoo have been tranquilized and moved out of an enclosure thought to be at risk of flooding. [72]

Protesters seething over their treatment by security forces hurled rocks at riot police in Ankara's Kizilay Square, the latest in a string of violent clashes that have punctuated massive anti-government demonstrations spreading across Turkey- leaving thousands injured and at least one dead in the past two days alone. The protests united demonstrators from across the political spectrum against a common foe: security forces who unleashed tear gas and water cannons on them in response to what had been largely peaceful protests against the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. [73]

Thousands of protesters have demonstrated in the Ethiopian capital to demand the release of jailed journalists and activists. It is the first major demonstration on the streets of Addis Ababa since 2005 when hundreds of protesters were killed in violence. Demonstrators shouted slogans calling for freedom and justice. Ethiopia's governing party, the EPRDF, maintains strict control over public life in the East African country. The protests were organised by the opposition Semayawi (blue) party. [74]

May

Dozens of people have been arrested after Turkish police used tear gas and water cannon against protesters occupying a park in central Istanbul. Demonstrators had held a four-day sit-in at Gezi Park, angry at plans to redevelop that part of Taksim Square. An Istanbul court later ordered the temporary suspension of the project to uproot trees in the park. But there is wider anger against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the unrest has spread to Ankara. Protests have also been reported in other cities, including Bodrum, Konya and Izmir. Earlier this month, riot police clashed with tens of thousands of people attempting to hold a May Day march in Istanbul. [75]

In the past weeks, Venezuelans have struggled to find goods such as toilet paper and staple food items like milk, sugar and cooking oil. Economists say the shortages stem from the socialist government's controls on the prices of some goods and on foreign currency, which makes it hard for producers to pay for things they need to import. President Nicolas Maduro blames the shortages on hoarding and says anti-government forces are trying to destabilize the country. [76]

Local authorities have recently forbidden bathing and nautical activities due to dangerously high levels of pollution. May has been unusually wet, stormy and cold for the southwest of France. Heavy rainfall in the middle of the month has already caused flooding in parts of the Bearn region, inland of Biarritz, and the French meteorological agency has issued flood warnings for the whole area in the upcoming days. This river and rain runoff, combined with strong onshore winds, has led to high levels of sea pollution. The current order affects all the beaches in the suburb of Anglet, which are the most popular with locals, tourists and surfers. For the moment there is no indication how long the ruling will remain in place, but with rain forecast until the start of next week, anyone planning a beach holiday to the Biarritz area should look elsewhere. [77]

About 1,000 people have been camped out for days calling for a bigger share of the profits from the Kumtor mine, owned by Canada's Centerra Gold group. The government has now declared a state of emergency around the gold mine. [78]

A road bridge collapsed into a river in the north-western US state of Washington after a girder was hit by an oversized lorry, officials have said. Vehicles and people were thrown into the water after part of the Interstate 5 highway crumbled the day before. State officials said three people were rescued from the Skagit river and there were no fatalities. The four-lane bridge near Mount Vernon is on the main route between the cities of Seattle and Vancouver, Canada. [79]

Afghan security forces have fought Taliban insurgents for hours in the centre of Kabul, after a major explosion shook the city. A Nepali guard and an off-duty policeman were killed, along with a number of militants. The attack hit a guesthouse used by the International Organization for Migration, one of whose employees was badly injured. The attack began at about 16:00 local time (11:30 GMT) with a car bombing, and it was late evening in Kabul by the time interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said the last of the assailants had been killed. The militants, who officials said numbered five or six, had been holed up in the area, home to a number of buildings used by foreign workers. A Taliban spokesman said the group had targeted CIA trainers instructing Afghans at the National Directorate of Security (NDS) intelligence agency. [80]

An uneasy calm prevailed in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on 23 May where days of clashes between supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad left 16 people dead and wounded more than 156. Fear of snipers kept people indoors, reported Lebanon's state news agency said. The streets were empty of cars, and schools and universities closed. The clashing sides are residents of the Bab-al-Tibbaneh neighborhood (dominated by Sunnis), and the adjacent Jabal Mohsen neighborhood (which is dominated by Alawites). Tripoli is home to both Alawite and Sunni Muslims, and sectarian tensions have worsened in recent months as the civil war in neighboring Syria rages on. The Alawites support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The Sunnis want his ouster. The Lebanese government has remained officially neutral in the conflict. Analysts say the longer the Syrian conflict rages, the more destabilized Lebanon will become. [81]

Swedish suburbs shaken by riots

Swedish suburbs shaken by riots

24 May 2013

Police in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, have called in reinforcements after the city's suburbs were hit by a fifth night of riots. Gangs set fire to two schools and a police station in the city on 23 May. About 30 cars were also torched, with the blaze from one vehicle spreading to a nearby shop. Police and firemen were also attacked again with rocks overnight, but no one was severely hurt. The riots broke out after days of rising tensions following the death of a 69-year-old man who was shot by police earlier this month while wielding a machete in the Stockholm suburb of Husby. However, police say they are not sure what sparked the outbreak of violence. The area is blighted by high unemployment and crime levels. A total of 29 people have so far been arrested in connection with the riots, Stockholm Police said in a statement on their website. [82]

The Nigerian army says it has destroyed a number of well-equipped camps used by the militant Islamist group, Boko Haram, in the north-east of Nigeria. Some 2,000 soldiers were deployed to the region last week, in the biggest campaign to date against Boko Haram. On 14 May, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan gave security control to the military after declaring a state of emergency in the three north-eastern states where Boko Haram have been most active - Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. [83]

A road bridge collapsed into a river in the north-western US state of Washington after a girder was hit by an oversized lorry, officials have said. Vehicles and people were thrown into the water after part of the Interstate 5 highway crumbled the day before. State officials said three people were rescued from the Skagit river and there were no fatalities. The four-lane bridge near Mount Vernon is on the main route between the cities of Seattle and Vancouver, Canada. [84]

Tens of thousands of Bahrainis have participated in a sit-in in protest at a raid on a senior Shia cleric's home. The sit-in was called by al-Wefaq, Bahrain's largest opposition political society, after a late night raid on the home of Sheikh Isa Qassim. Last week's raid provoked anger in the Shia Muslim community. Sheikh Qassim is the most senior Shia cleric in the Gulf state. Bahrain has a majority Shia population but the ruling royal family is Sunni Muslim. Shia have long complained of discrimination and formed the largest group when thousands of pro-democracy protesters took over a prominent roundabout in the capital Manama in February 2011. [85]

More than 60 people have been killed and dozens hurt in several bomb attacks apparently targeting Sunnis, in Iraq's worst day of violence for months. In the first attack, in Baquba, about 50km (30 miles) north of Baghdad, at least 41 people were killed when two bombs detonated outside a Sunni mosque. Later, police said at least seven died at a Sunni funeral in Madain, and 14 more in two blasts in western Baghdad. The attacks follows a sharp increase in sectarian violence in recent weeks. [86]

Egyptian security forces have fired tear gas at protesters hurling firebombs at them in central Cairo, hours after hundreds of opponents of Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi rallied peacefully in the streets denouncing his rule and demanding early presidential elections. [87]

People on both sides of the border felt an earthquake originating around the Quebec and Ontario borders, the Canadian government said. Natural Resources Canada gave it a preliminary magnitude of 5.2; the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 4.4. With an epicenter about 11 miles (18 kilometers) from Shawville, in western Quebec, the quake was felt in the Ottawa-Gatineau area and out to Toronto, more than 260 miles away. It hit a nerve in New York State and Cleveland, too. [88]

The Nigerian military has launched air raids on militant training camps in the north-east of the country, officials say. An army spokesman said jets and helicopter gunships had been used to attack several camps. States of emergency were declared this week in three north-eastern states hit by Boko Haram's Islamist insurgency. Nigerian military spokesman Brig Gen Chris Olukolade said two militant bases in the Sambisa Forest Reserve were destroyed in raids. The reserve is about 70km (45 miles) south of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, where the militants first emerged in 2009. Reports say dozens of militants have been killed, but there has been no independent confirmation. Nigerian forces are trying to regain control in the states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno. [89]

A tropical storm that officials had feared would cause widespread devastation in Bangladesh and Burma lost power quickly as it moved inland. More than a million people had been told to evacuate low-lying coastal areas as Cyclone Mahasen approached. But it weakened as it advanced and a predicted storm surge was avoided because it hit at low tide. However, thousands of homes were damaged and at least 13 people killed in Bangladesh. Mahasen made landfall in Patuakhali district in southern Bangladesh on 16 May. But it spared the ports of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar, instead heading west of its predicted course. [90]

Under operation "Safe Homeland", 3,000 soldiers will patrol the streets of the capital Caracas and other cities. President Maduro said the plan would bring peace to Venezuela, which has one of the highest homicide rates in South America. The opposition has long criticised the government's record on crime, and used it as a campaign issue in recent polls. The government says more than 16,000 people were killed in crimes in 2012, a rate of 54 per 100,000. [91]

A Los Angeles-area wildfire exploded from 10 acres to 10,000 acres in about 25 hours and threatened 4,000 homes, fire authorities said. The fire, which began on the 2 May, damaged 15 homes,15 outbuildings and five commercial properties, but none were destroyed and no one had been injured, authorities said. Energized by dryness and strong winds, the wildfire raged for a second day and threatened 300 commercial properties and 50 outbuildings, authorities said. The so-called Springs Fire was all but out of control in Ventura County. More than 950 fire and law enforcement personnel were able to contain only 10% of the blaze roaring near upscale houses and through the Santa Monica Mountains, the Ventura County Fire Department said. Evacuations orders were in effect in several areas, but officials lifted such orders for the campus of California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo and for the Dos Vientos community in Newbury Park, authorities said. [92]

More than 40 people have been killed by government forces in a village in north-western Syria, activists say. The main opposition group accused the government of a "large-scale massacre". The Syrian Observatory, a UK-based activist group that monitors human rights violations on both sides of the conflict via a network of contacts, said the army was bombarding Sunni areas in Baniyas. [93]

Japan's near-symetrical snow-topped volcano, Mount Fuji, looks likely to become a Unesco World Heritage site, officials say. A key UN advisory council had recommended it as appropriate for registration, a statement from Japan's cultural agency said. Mt Fuji, at 3,776 (12,460 feet) is Japan's highest mountain. The volcano, which last erupted just over 300 years ago, lies to the south-west of Tokyo and is visible from the Japanese capital on a clear day. It is featured prominently in historic Japanese art work, including wood blocks prints. It is also one of the traditional "Three Holy Mountains" - along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku, both in central Japan. [94]

Sherpas who attacked three European climbers on Everest were angry at the disrespect shown by "luxury adventurers" who demand tea in their tent on the world's highest peak, a British member of the group has claimed. The Sherpas claimed that the mountaineers had ignored their request not to climb over their ropes until they had finished fixing the route for guided expedition groups. [95]

April 2013

China is continuing a massive rescue operation in Sichuan province, deploying thousands of workers, after a powerful earthquake on 20 Apr 2013. Rescue workers are using dynamite and heavy equipment to get through roads blocked by landslides to reach remote areas, reports say. But reaching these areas has been a struggle, with bad weather and powerful aftershocks contributing to delays. At least 188 people are known to have died in the quake, says state media. More than 11,500 others have also been reported injured. More than 18,000 soldiers and police have been mobilised in the rescue efforts, state news agency Xinhua said on Sunday. [96]

Egypt resumed hot air balloon sightseeing in the ancient city of Luxor, weeks after a fiery accident led authorities to halt the flights. Mohammed Ibrahim Sherif, head of the civil aviation authority, said the first hot air balloon was launched in the southern city after safety measures required by his office were implemented. He said five out of seven companies have been allowed to resume the flights. Authorities suspended flights after 19 tourists were killed on 26 Feb when their balloon caught fire and crashed in a sugar cane field. Ballooning experts say the accident was the worst in the sport’s 200-year history. [97]

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says the city plans a new $650 million terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in suburban Kenner. New terminal will increase convenience for passengers and provide a more modern, cost-efficient facility to lower costs for airlines. The terminal would be on the north side of the existing terminal structure, which is more than 50 years old. Landrieu said officials hope to break ground early next year and have the new building open by 5 May 2018 - when the city celebrates the 300th anniversary of its founding as a French colony. [98]

More than 500,000 Syrians have fled to Jordan since the onset of the conflict in their country more than two years ago, according to the Amman government and the United Nations — a figure equal to nearly one-tenth of Jordan’s population. While 160,000 are housed in refu­gee camps, the vast majority have been living in cities, where their presence is stoking tensions with an increasingly resentful host community and posing what Jordanian officials call one of the greatest crises the country has faced in decades. [99]

Strikes and protests have been taking place across the country in response to the trials of alleged war criminals. Hefajat-e-Islam called a country-wide programme of protests and demonstrations followed by a two day hartal (general strike) from Wednesday, 17 Apr to Thursday, 18 Apr 2013. [100]

Sightseeing cruises to China's newest city, Sansha, located on a disputed island in the South China Sea, are set to commence this month, according to a Chinese official. The move is certain to add to the dispute over sovereignty claims to the area. Woody Island, known as Yongxing Island in Chinese, has a population of about a thousand, including military personnel. It's located 300 km southeast of Hainan and was established as China's latest prefecture in Jun 2012. The city of Sansha has the smallest land area, but the largest sea area in China. Sansha's government has been set up to administer the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands), the Macclesfield Bank (Zhongsha Islands) and the Paracel Islands (Xisha Islands), which include Woody Island. The islands are partly claimed by Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan. [101]

Syrian soldiers backed by warplanes battled rebels for control of strategic hilltop villages near the Lebanese border, as government troops step up counterattacks against opposition forces threatening regime supply lines on the country's frontiers. Bomb blasts and shots fired into the air to mourn a fallen Syrian government soldier could be heard on the Lebanese side of the border as fighting raged around Qusair, a contested central Syrian town near a key highway between Damascus and the coast. The battles there came as government forces launched a second offensive against rebels in the province of Daraa on the Jordanian border, where the opposition has been making steady advances in recent weeks. [102]

President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan has ordered the border with South Sudan to be opened. He announced the move on a first visit to the South since its independence. Speaking alongside his southern counterpart, Salva Kiir, Mr Bashir also called for peace and normal relations. Tensions between the two countries, strained after they came to the brink of war last year, have eased recently, but disagreements over oil and territory remain. [103]

At least 11 people have died and more than 30 were wounded in bomb attacks at mosques in Iraq's capital Baghdad and in the province of Diyala. The highest casualty toll occurred in Kanaan, Diyala, some 75 km (47 mi) north-east of Baghdad. The bomb went off as Sunni worshippers were leaving Friday prayers at the Omar Bin Abdul-Aziz mosque. The attacks come ahead of Iraq's provincial elections on 20 Apr; the first in the country since 2010. Tensions are high between Iraq's Sunni and Shia, amid claims by the majority Sunni Muslim communities that they are being marginalised by Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's Shia-led government. Sunni Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda have attempted to destabilise the government by stepping up attacks, mainly on Shia but also Sunni targets this year. In recent weeks more than 11 election candidates have been shot dead [104]

The main Venezuelan presidential hopefuls ended their campaigns with massive rallies, ahead of Sunday's election of a successor to President Hugo Chavez, who died last month. Hundreds of thousands of acting president, Nicolas Maduro's, supporters took to the streets of Caracas. Opposition candidate Henrique Capriles spoke to another large crowd in the northern city of Acarigua. [105]

The Brazilian state of Acre has declared a state of emergency after a surge of illegal immigrants from neighboring Bolivia and Peru. Officials said most of the immigrants originally came from Haiti but others had come from as far afield as Bangladesh, Senegal and Nigeria. They said about 1,700 illegal migrants had arrived during the past two weeks. Acre, in the Amazon region, has asked for additional funding from the federal government to cope with the influx. More than 5,000 Haitians have arrived in Acre since 2010, but in recent months there has been an increase in immigration from Senegal, Nigeria, the Dominican Republic and Bangladesh. Officials say the routes through Peru and Bolivia have become popular with people smugglers because dense vegetation makes it difficult for border police to patrol them. [106]

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appealed to North Korea to change course, saying it has "gone too far" in its rhetoric. He said he was concerned any "unwanted crisis" on the Korean peninsula would have "very serious implications". The warning came hours after South Korea's foreign minister said the North had shifted a missile with "considerable range" to its east coast. [107]

A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck offshore in northeastern Philippines, the United States Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damages. The quake struck about 100 miles northeast of Manila and had a depth of 23 miles, the USGS said. [108]

Samoa Air starts charging overweight passengers more

Samoa Air starts charging overweight passengers more

4 Apr 2013

Samoa Air has become the world's first airline to implement "pay as you weigh" flights, meaning overweight passengers pay more for their seats. Under the new system, Samoa Air passengers must type in their weight and the weight of their baggage into the online booking section of the airline's website. The rates vary depending on the distance flown: from US$1 per kilogram on the airline's shortest domestic route to about US$4.16 per kg for travel between Samoa and American Samoa. Passengers are then weighed again on scales at the airport, to check that they weren't fibbing online. [109]

The number of foreign women tourists visiting India has dropped by 35 per cent in the past three months following a spate of sex attacks that have made global headlines. The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) says overall tourist arrivals are down 25 per cent year-on-year, with holidaymakers opting instead to visit other Asian countries such as Malaysia and Thailand. The fatal gang-rape of a 23-year-old Indian student by six men on a bus in New Delhi in December sparked outrage over the country's treatment of women, and since then there have been other widely reported attacks. These incidents have "raised concerns about the safety of female travellers to the country", said D.S. Rawat, secretary general at ASSOCHAM, which surveyed 1200 tour operators from different cities. "The situation has been further aggravated by the advisory issued by various countries to their citizens visiting India to be cautious and avoid India," added the release from ASSOCHAM. [110]

Jordan tightened security along its border with Syria, doubling the number of soldiers as President Bashar Assad's regime warned the kingdom is "playing with fire" by allowing the US and other countries to train and arm Syrian rebels on its territory. The warning, coinciding with significant rebel advances near the border, plays into Jordanian fears that its larger neighbor might try to retaliate for its support of the opposition fighters. The stepped up security also reflects the kingdom's fears that the chaos from Syria's 2-year-old civil war could lead to a failed state on its doorstep where Islamic militants have a free hand. [111]

March 2013

Peru's government has declared an environmental state of emergency in an Amazon jungle region due to years of contamination from oil drilling it blames on Pluspetrol, the country's biggest oil and natural gas producer.Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal deemed inadequate Argentine-owned Pluspetrol's cleanup of oil spills in the Pastaza river region bordering Ecuador. [112]

The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting that a magnitude-6.2 earthquake has struck near Guatemala City. Guatemalan authorities had no immediate reports of damage. The USGS said Monday that the earthquake was located 3 miles (6 kilometers) northwest of San Jose Pinula and had a depth of 200 kilometers (124 miles). [113]

A dual picture of Syria's rebellion is emerging: Fighters on the ground make advances, seizing territory in the south and even firing one of the heaviest mortar volleys yet into the heart of Damascus. But at the same time, the would-be opposition leadership is falling deeper into disarray. [114]

Travelers to India have been warned over increasing sexual assaults against women visiting the country. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) updated its travel advice in the wake of the recent rape of a Swiss tourist. “Women travellers should exercise caution when travelling in India even if they are travelling in a group,” the FCO said. [115]

Chinese Airline Will Sell Cars On Board

Chinese Airline Will Sell Cars On Board

15 Mar 2013

According to Bloomberg, China's Spring Airlines Co., the nation's biggest privately-owned carrier, plans to start selling Chinese-branded automobiles on flights as early as next month. Zhang Wu'An, a spokesman at the Shanghai-based company, said the cars will be priced from about 100,000 yuan ($16,000), but details on makes and models have not yet been publicized. Founded in 2005, Spring Airlines is China's only no-frills, budget carrier. The airline made headlines a few years ago when they considered standing-only flights. The carrier flies to more than 20 cities throughout China, plus to international destinations in Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Thailand and Cambodia.

The European Commission says the new rules, which are not likely to become law until 2014, will give a lot more certainty to airlines and passengers. They include rerouting travellers with rival carriers if a flight is delayed for more than 12 hours and clarify what are considered exceptional circumstances for compensation. During the Icelandic ash cloud crisis in 2010, when no flights could take off in Europe for several days, there was much confusion about how much responsibility the airlines should carry for the welfare of its passengers. Some airlines were initially very reluctant to cover passengers' costs, but threats from the European authorities brought them into line. [116]

The road from the military academy where Hugo Chavez's body has been lying in state to the hilltop museum where he'll be displayed indefinitely is lined with some of the most dangerous slums on the planet. It runs under bridges in dire need of repair and past grocery stores with few groceries. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans gathered along that route to watch the late president's body cross the city in yet another choreographed show designed to keep Chavez supporters in thrall, at least until an April 14 election to replace him. Afterward, people will have to go on living with the problems that Chavez left behind. This tense, relentlessly gray capital embodies many of Venezuela's problems, with crumbling apartment towers and food lines often sharing the same sidewalk with cheering crowds eager to greet their departed Comandante. [117]

February 2013

Days after the death of a Palestinian in an Israeli prison, a rocket fired from Gaza landed in southern Israel, the first such attack since a cease-fire took hold in November. Israeli police said they did not receive any reports of injuries from the rocket. The rocket fire prompted the Israel Defense Forces to close the Kerem Shalom Crossing near the Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian borders. The Erez Crossing between Gaza and Israel will be open only for medical cases, humanitarian aid or exceptional cases. [118]

Palestinians are calling for a boycott of a marathon race in Jerusalem that winds through the city's eastern sector. Palestinians claim it as their capital. The third annual Jerusalem marathon takes on 1 March. Previous races have drawn thousands of runners from around the world and attracted international brands as sponsors. In a statement, the Palestine Liberation Organization called on marathon participants and sponsors to withdraw their support. [119]

Tourist balloon exploded over southern Egypt, killing 19, making it the world's deadliest hot air balloon accident in at least 20 years. Two people are hospitalized, including a British passenger and the pilot. It was a gas explosion that caused the balloon to fall about 300 meters (almost 1,000 feet). [120]

Extensive flooding has hit Macedonia after three days of heavy rain, leaving one man dead, bridges wiped out and homes and fields inundated. Roughly 300 homes were flooded in the village of Josifovo, 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the capital of Skopje. Hundreds more houses and commercial buildings were inundated in the southern village of Dabile, where the fire brigade was evacuating elderly residents. The central Pistica dam was described as being in a "critical" situation, with authorities concerned it could collapse. Nearby, thousands of hectares (acres) of fields were flooded and 20,000 people were without electricity in the town of Sveti Nikole, the National Crisis Management Center said. [121]

An investigation has been launched after armed robbers broke into Brussels Airport and stole diamonds worth more than £32million. in a meticulously planned heist lasting less than five minutes, eight armed men burst through the airport's security barrier in a fake police car before driving up to a security van parked on the runway next to the Swiss passenger aircraft. A Brussels Airport police spokesman said a full investigation has been launched into the raid, which has seriously thrown into doubt the security of the airport. [122]

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake rattled central Japan, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. A second quake -- magnitude 4.6 quake -- struck several minutes later. The Japan Meteorological Agency said no tsunami alert has been issued. The quake was centered about 143 kilometers (89 miles) north-northwest of Tokyo at a depth of 9.9 kilometers (6.2 miles), according to the USGS. [123]

North Korea's nuclear test prompted united condemnation and a vow of tough action from the U.N. Security Council. South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, repeating a statement to reporters outside council chambers, said the test violated council resolutions, and "there continues to exist a clear threat to international peace and security." The test probably took place near P'unggye and yielded "several kilotons," according to assessments cited by the U.S. director of national intelligence. It drew condemnation from around the globe and prompted the emergency Security Council session. [124]

In the western town of Tal Kalakh rebel fighters and government forces have agreed to something remarkable- a cease-fire. While fragile, the agreement could be a blueprint for peace across more parts of the country, which has seen incessant bloodshed for 23 months. If the local cease-fire continues to hold, it would defy failures at the national and international levels to implement a meaningful halt in violence. Tal Kalakh, near Syria's border with Lebanon was one of the first cities to rebel against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. It has seen heavy fighting since the uprising began. [125]

Snow storms in the US

Snow storms in the US

8 Feb 2013

New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and other parts of New England were hunkered down for blinding snowstorms, heavy winds, power outages and more than two feet of the white stuff in some regions. The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for the New York City metro area, Connecticut and Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts and coastal sections of New Hampshire and Maine. Some parts of New England should see the heaviest snow, while some coastal areas could be lashed by hurricane-force winds of nearly 75 mph. As part of a new effort to name winter storms, the Weather Channel dubbed the blizzard "Nemo." More than 4,500 flights in the region had been canceled. [126]

Recent heavy snow has produced major traffic jams in the capital of Russia. The traffic stopped in queues up to 20 km long. The weather caused bad visibility and icy roads. The airport services were affected, when the authorities had to divert even the prime minister Dmitry Medvedev's plane. The record amount of this winter's snow was confirmed by the Moscow city hall officer Pyotr Biryukov. He said more than two meters of snow have fallen from sky on Moscow since the beginning of the winter. [127]

The allegations grabbed headlines across Mexico and around the globe: Hooded gunmen stormed into a beach bungalow and attacked a group of Spanish tourists, authorities said, raping six women and tying up a group of men with cell phone cables and bikini straps. The high-profile case in the Mexican resort city of Acapulco was a sharp reminder of significant security problems in a state that has seen violence surge even as homicide numbers in other hotspots across the country have started to dip. And it drew renewed attention to topics that Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has steered out of the spotlight since he took office in December. Although still unconfirmed, there are suspicions the spanish tourists had previously bought drugs from the criminals. A reminder that tourists should avoid exposing themselves to dangerous situations. [128]

Tens of thousands of mourners and protesters wrapped in national flags crammed on to the leafy hillside of Tunis's historic Jellaz cemetery as assassinated Chokri Belaïd,an opposition leader,was buried. Chokri Belaïd had been one of the most outspoken critics of the post-revolution coalition government led by the moderate Islamist Ennahda party. He appeared on television only this week to criticize a rise in political violence. Chokri Belaïd was shot dead in broad daylight after he had got into a car outside his Tunis home. In the crowd were teachers, lawyers, shop-owners and the unemployed, women in headscarves and without, many trade unionists, leftist and secular politicians. They said his death was a watermark for post-revolutionary Tunisia, which lit the spark for the Arab spring when its popular uprising toppled the dictatorship in January 2011. [129]

An unprecedented number of Chinese will travel home this year to be with family and friends during China's Lunar New Year, making it the world's largest annual migration of people. Their yearly homecoming has been repeated over and over for the past two decades, reuniting families in the villages with the workers who have fueled China's economic miracle.But that growth has come at a tremendous personal cost thanks in part to a household registration system called "hukou."The hukou is akin to an internal passport that divides the population into rural and urban residents. As such, migrant workers are prevented from accessing social services in the city they're working in. [130]

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the Solomon Islands. There were no immediate reports of a tsunami.The quake comes two days after an 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck the same region, triggering a tsunami that killed five people but didn't threaten the wider region. [131]

January 2013

French troops seized the airport in Mali's northern town of Kidal, the last urban stronghold held by Islamist insurgents, as they moved to wrap up the first phase of a military operation to wrest northern Mali from rebel hands. France has deployed some 4,500 troops in a three-week ground and air offensive to break the Islamist rebels' 10-month grip on major northern towns. The mission is aimed at heading off the risk of Mali being used as a springboard for jihadist attacks in the wider region or Europe. The French military plans to gradually hand over to a larger African force, tasked with rooting out insurgents in their mountain redoubts near Algeria's border. [132]

A strong earthquake hit central-northern Chile, shaking buildings as far away as the capital Santiago, and possibly leading a woman to die minutes later of an apparent heart attack, the U.S. Geological Survey and local officials said. There were no reports of serious damage. The quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.7, struck at a depth of 28.4 miles, 63 miles southwest of the mining town Copiapo and 364 miles north of Santiago. [133]

Air France-KLM launches low-cost airline

Air France-KLM launches low-cost airline

30 Jan 2013

Hop! will operate 530 daily flights to 136 destinations in Europe from March 31 with one-way fares from 55 euros. The launch of the new airline - which has been created through the merger of regional units Brit Air, Regional Air and Airlinair - is part of a reshuffle of the group's loss-making short and medium-haul operations. [134]

Tens of thousands of Egyptians filled Tahrir Square to observe the second anniversary of the revolt that ousted President Hosni Mubarak with a massive protest against the political ascendance of the Muslim Brotherhood. There were parallel demonstrations in several other cities, and minor clashes between protesters and security forces in Alexandria, Cairo and elsewhere.Protesters at times seemed to be re-enacting scenes from the 18-day revolt that toppled Mr. Mubarak two years ago. The loudest chants were recycled from the revolution — “Leave, leave” and “The people want the fall of the regime.” Others were adapted slightly to focus on the Islamist Brotherhood, calling for an end to “the rule by the supreme guide,” Mohamed Badie, the Brotherhood’s spiritual leader.[135]

At least seven protesters and two soldiers were killed in clashes that started after Iraqi Army forces opened fire on demonstrators who had pelted them with rocks on the outskirts of Falluja, west of Baghdad. It was the first deadly confrontation in more than a month of antigovernment protests by mostly Sunni opponents of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. As a result, a curfew was imposed on Falluja later that day. [136]

Hundreds of battle-hardened nomadic Tuareg rebels storm towns in Mali’s northern desert, using weapons seized after they fought for Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi in Libya. They reinvigorate a longstanding rebellion there, overwhelming the poorly equipped Malian forces with whom they clashed in the 1960s, the early 1990s and again in 2006. [137]

Syrians are fleeing into Jordan in record numbers to escape escalating violence and destruction in their country that is making it increasingly difficult for civilians to survive, said the United Nations refugee agency. More than 4,000 Syrians arrived at a camp in Zaatari in northern Jordan on Jan 24th and another 2,000 people overnight, Melissa Fleming, the spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said. The number of Syrian refugees in the region is approaching 700,000, the refugee agency said, with 221,000 registered as refugees in Lebanon, 156,000 in Turkey and 76,000 in Iraq. [138]

In its latest bout of saber-rattling, North Korea warned of the possibility of "strong physical counter-measures" against South Korea after the United Nations imposed tougher sanctions against the North earlier that week. The threat against South Korea came a day after the North said it would carry out a new nuclear test and more long-range rocket launches as part of a new phase of confrontation with the United States. The South Korean Unification Ministry declined to comment specifically on the new threats from Pyongyang. It reiterated its stance that North Korea should refrain from further provocations. [139]

Several Japanese Coast Guard ships fired water cannon and shouted warnings at a boat carrying Taiwanese activists who were attempting to land on islands disputed by Taiwan, Japan and China, a spokesman said. Through loud speakers, the Japanese Coast guard urged the activists and four Taiwanese Coast Guard vessels accompanying them, to retreat from waters around the islands, which are known as the Senkakus in Japan, and Diaoyu in China. The deterrent worked and the Taiwanese ships left the area, the Japanese Coast Guard said. According to state news agencies in Taiwan and China, the confrontation occurred about 28 nautical miles from the islands in the East China Sea. [140]

Controversial x-ray scanners to be removed

Controversial x-ray scanners to be removed

20 Jan 2013

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has set to remove the privacy breaching full-body x-ray machines from 30 USA airports. [141]

Extreme snowfall in the UK

Extreme snowfall in the UK

19 Jan 2013

Harsh snowfall has led to traffic, especially aviation to slow down, or even be cancelled in Great Britain During Friday the 18th, over 400 flights leaving London were cancelled and this is expected to continue well into the weekend. [142]

Boeing suspends the dreamliner 787

Boeing suspends the dreamliner 787

19 Jan 2013

Due to technical malfunctions in the airplanes batteries, Boeing, the US based aerospace giant has seized delivering their mammoth planes until they are approved safe

Millions of devout Hindus led by naked ascetics with ash smeared on their bodies plunged into the frigid waters of India's holy Ganges River in a ritual they believe can wash away their sins. The ceremony in the northern city of Allahabad took place on the most auspicious day of the Kumbh Mela, or Pitcher Festival, one of the world's largest religious gatherings that lasts 55 days. Over 110 million people are expected to take a dip at the Sangam, the place where three rivers — the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati — come together at the edge of this North Indian city. [143]

Cubans will no longer need an exit permit and a letter of invitation from someone in another country to travel abroad. Shortly after Fidel Castro took power in 1959, stringent travel laws were put in place to stem an exodus from Cuba. Now Cubans will require only a passport to travel internationally and can stay abroad for two years -- more than twice as long as the previous restriction -- without losing their property or ability to return to the island. [144]

Thousands of protesters descended on Islamabad in night's cold weather, filling part of the "blue zone" in the center of the Pakistani capital. But the group was much smaller than organizers of the self-proclaimed "Million Man March" had hoped. Exact figures were unclear, but witnesses estimated around 20,000 people had participated. But the group was much smaller than organizers of the self-proclaimed "Million Man March" had hoped. Exact figures were unclear, but witnesses estimated around 20,000 people had participated. Much of Pakistan watched in anticipation as thousands of people, led by Qadri, headed toward Islamabad with police and soldiers lining the rally route. [145]

China's capital endured its worst air pollution in recent memory, illustrating the persistent challenge the nation's new leaders face in addressing environmental woes. Officials called for residents to stay home and avoid exercising outside after the murky air darkened the skies over Beijing and surrounding areas. China's government is under pressure to clean up the country's environmental problems, a legacy of more than three decades of untrammeled economic growth. [146]

More than 130 bush fires continue to burn across New South Wales, including 20 that are out of control as fire crews race to contain blazes before a return to hot and windy conditions later in the week.The biggest threat is currently posed by a grass and shrub fire burning in an easterly direction about 11 kilometers outside Yass in the NSW southern tablelands region. Four months of record-breaking temperatures stretching back to September 2012 have produced what the government says are “catastrophic” fire conditions along the eastern and southeastern coasts of the country, where the majority of Australians live. [147]

A New York passenger ferry has hit a dock during the Manhattan rush hour, injuring 57 people and tearing a hole in the vessel's bow. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has visited the scene of the crash, along with senior police, fire and emergency management officials. Police said the boat's crew passed alcohol breath tests given after the crash. The cause of the accident was under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. [148]

South African police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at striking farm workers who blocked a highway in the grape-growing Western Cape, the first clashes of a year likely to be marked by fractious labor relations. Police said they arrested 44 people and an emergency worker said four were taken to hospital with minor injuries from the rubber bullets. The strike in the Western Cape, home to South Africa's multi-billion-dollar wine industry, follows a similar walk-out in December in which warehouses were set on fire and at least two workers died in clashes with police. [149]

A private delegation including Google’s executive chairman is urging North Korea to allow more open Internet access and cellphones to benefit its citizens, during its visit to the country, which has some of the world’s tightest controls on information. The members were bringing a message that more openness would benefit North Korea. Most in the country have never logged onto the Internet, and the authoritarian government strictly limits access to the World Wide Web. [150]

More than 2,000 prisoners incarcerated by the Syrian authorities were being released in return for 48 Iranians freed by rebels after five months in captivity in what appeared to be the biggest prisoner swap since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began almost two years ago. [151]

Police in Brazil's most populous state can no longer give first aid to victims injured in violent crimes or in shootouts with law enforcement officers. Sao Paulo State Public Safety Department says in a statement posted on its website that only emergency response teams and paramedics can provide treatment to victims at the scene of the crime or shootout with police. [152]

Wolf packs are prowling at the edges of villages in the remote Sakha-Yakutia region of Siberia, eating livestock that includes horses and domesticated reindeer. They are moving near towns like Verkhoyansk, far above the Arctic Circle, where the mayor told a regional newspaper that he had organized a hunting party to kill as many as possible. In fact, the wolves have grown so thick in Yakutia that the governor recently declared a state of emergency, which wildlife experts said was largely symbolic and intended to draw attention to the problem. [153]

Celebrations for the festival kick off with Festival First Night – a large scale free event in the parks, streets, and lane-lays of the city, which is an exclusive feast of music, dance, and visual spectacle on the streets. Reaching an audience of more than 200,000 people, the Festival First Night is celebrated on the first Saturday of the Festival while more free concerts await Sydneysiders and visitors on subsequent two Saturdays. The Sydney Festival creates a welcoming and unique global ambience which showcases the striking city of Sydney through a feast of world class performances in theatre, music, dance, fireworks, visual arts, and food. The peak celebrations of the festival are the Australia Day festivities on 26th January with ferry races and tall ship displays at the iconic Sydney Harbour. The festival with its wide range of free events and easy pricing policies for the shows with tickets ensures that everyone can participate in the Sydney Festival celebrations. [154]

Gujarat’s International Kite Festival is held every year in Ahmedabad. Skies above the city come alive with kites- in a hundred different colours, shapes and sizes, fluttering and darting above the rooftops, triumphantly cutting another kite’s string, and soaring way up above the earth. The Gujarat Tourism Development Corporation organises the International Kite Festival at a local stadium, where kite enthusiasts from all across the world show off their skills. [155]

The event, held since 1963, can last more than a month, depending on the weather, and attracts visitors from around the world who come to see the elaborate ice and snow sculptures. This year's 'Ice and Snow World' features majestic ice castles and sculptures of fairytale characters equipped with LED lights, bringing a colorful and warm aura to the icy wonderland. [156]